Canon U.S.A. has announced twenty finalists from the “Project Imaginat10n” Film Contest. “Project Imaginat10n has enabled artistry among filmmakers of all levels and inspired people in the most contrasting disciplines to pursue filmmaking, completely redefining ‘art’ and proving that ‘we’re all creative,’” said two-time Academy Award winner Ron Howard. “For year two, it was important to me to open the experiment to the masses, especially at film schools where Bryce had the opportunity to share her experience.” The consumer-directed films can be seen at imagination.usa.canon.com. The five winning filmmakers will be announced in September.

Canon Press Release

CANON U.S.A. GIVES UP AND COMING FILMMAKERS A CHANCE AT STARDOM—REVEALING TWENTY FINALISTS IN THE CANON “PROJECT IMAGINAT10N” FILM CONTEST

Ron Howard And Bryce Dallas Howard To Select Five Winning Films To Be Showcased At The Canon “Project Imaginat10n” Film Festival This Fall

MELVILLE, N.Y., August 19, 2013 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, has announced twenty finalists from the “Project Imaginat10n” Film Contest where amateurs and hobbyists were invited to sit in the director’s chair, showcasing their storytelling abilities by creating a short film inspired by a series of crowdsourced photographs. The project, helmed by two-time Academy Award® winner Ron Howard is the next phase in the “Project Imaginat10n”creative exercise proving Ron’s very own words that “we’re all creative.” Eva Longoria (film and TV actress), Jamie Foxx (Academy Award® winner), Biz Stone (co-founder of Twitter), Georgina Chapman (designer and co-founder of Marchesa) and James Murphy (founder of LCD SOUNDSYSTEM) all directed short films inspired by 10 consumer photographs earlier this year.

In the coming weeks, Ron Howard and Bryce Dallas Howard, the first “graduating” director of the Project Imagin8ion experiment, will narrow the finalists down to five winning directors. Packaged together as “A Ron Howard Presentation,” the five consumer and five celebrity films will be featured at Canon’s Project Imaginat10n Film Festival in fall 2013.

“Project Imaginat10n has enabled artistry among filmmakers of all levels and inspired people in the most contrasting disciplines to pursue filmmaking, completely redefining ‘art’ and proving that ‘we’re all creative,’” said Ron Howard. “For year two, it was important to me to open the experiment to the masses, especially at film schools where Bryce had the opportunity to share her experience.”

“This exercise continues to prove that creativity and collaboration generate endless possibilities that mark the state of our time,” said Bryce Dallas Howard. “All you need is some basic equipment, an imagination and a burning desire to tell a story.”

Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. With approximately $40 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), ranks third overall in U.S. patents registered in 2012† and is one of Fortune Magazine's World’s Most Admired Companies in 2013. In 2012, Canon U.S.A. has received the PCMag.com Readers’ Choice Award for Service and Reliability in the digital camera and printer categories for the ninth consecutive year, and for camcorders for the past two years. Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest level of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company's RSS news feed by visiting http://www.usa.canon.com/rss. For media inquiries, please contact pr@cusa.canon.com

ABOUT RON HOWARD

Ronald William “Ron” Howard is an American actor, director and producer. He came to prominence as a child actor, playing Opie Taylor in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show for eight years, and later as the teenaged Richie Cunningham in the sitcom “Happy Days” for six years. He made film appearances in “American Graffiti” in 1973 and, while starring in “Happy Days,” he also made “The Shootist” in 1976, as well as making his directorial debut with the 1977 comedy film “Grand Theft Auto.” He left “Happy Days” in 1980 to focus on directing, and has since gone on to direct several films, including the Oscar®-winning “Cocoon,” “Apollo 13,” “Frost/Nixon,” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” Ron won the Academy Award® for “A Beautiful Mind” as the director and also producer of the film. In 2003, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts.

ABOUT BRYCE DALLAS HOWARD

Bryce Dallas Howard has quickly become one of Hollywood’s most versatile and dynamic young talents both on screen and behind the camera. The actress most recently starred as the villainous “Hilly” in Tate Taylor’s big screen adaptation of Kathryn Stockett’s bestselling novel “The Help”. Other recent films include “50/50,” Clint Eastwood’s “Hereafter,” “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse,” “Spider-Man 3,” and “Terminator: Salvation.” Her breakout role was starring in M. Night Shyamalan's “The Village” and she earned a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in Kenneth Branagh's “As You Like It.” Expanding her creative reach beyond acting, Howard produced Gus Van Sant’s “Restless.” She is the founder and owner of the production company Nine Muses Entertainment under which she currently has several projects in development. Howard made her 2006 directorial debut with the short film “Orchids.” In 2011, she directed the experimental collaborative short film “when you find me” presented by Canon. Most recently, Howard directed one of five short films included in The Lifetime Original Movie event “Call Me Crazy: A Five Film.” The anthology, from a team of executive producers including Jennifer Aniston, features five interwoven stories about mental illness.